Folding door with flexible joint



y 5, 1964 5. E. DIXON 3,131,753

FOLDING DOOR WITH FLEXIBLE JOINT Filed July 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Guy E. Dixon 1N VEN TOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. mz i'm.

Guy E. Dixon May 5, 1964 G. E. DIXON FOLDING DOOR WITH FLEXIBLE JOINT Filed July 21, 1960 United States Patent 3,131,753 FOLDING DOOR WITH FLEXIBLE .IGINT Guy E. Dixon, 1090 E. 17th St., Hialeah, Fla. Filed July 21, 1969, Ser. No. 44,437 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-183) The present invention generally relates to a folding door and more particularly to that type of folding door formed of a plurality of vertically elongated rigid panels adapted to be folded in relation to each other somewhat in the nature of an accordion so that when the door is in closed position, the panels are in extended angulated position with the accordion formation generally being substantially shallow. In the open position of the door, the panels are folded in face-to-face relationship to each other at one side of the door opening thereby requiring a minimum of space for the door and incorporating all of the advantages of a folding door such as the ease of opening and closing, ease of installation and the like.

The present invention involves an improved novel and unique joint construction between the panels which not only provides a joint between the panels but specifically provides a complete seal between adjacent panels for eliminating the passage of air, light and sound through the door panel. It is well-known that sound and light will travel even through a very minute opening and with the present invention, the joint between the adjacent folding panels is completely sealed throughout the length of the panels. Ancillary to this, the joint is constructed in a manner which renders the entire joint quite attractive in appearance. Previously, there have been developed folding doors and the present invention represents an im provement on such folding doors. In some of the prior patented devices, the panels are interconnected by spring devices and an insert of Wood material or an insert of whatever material from which the panels are constructed for purposes of somewhat concealing the joint. However, the spring devices are generally not concealed at all times and also do not provide a seal throughout the length of the panels due to warpage of the panels and the like. Therefore, the present invention has certain advantages over the prior patents in that it produces a complete air, light and noise seal from top to bottom of the folding door thereby rendering the door more effective for its particular purposes while at the same time not materially increasing the manufacturing cost thereof.

Briefly, the particular construction of the joint between the panels of the present invention may be incorporated into a construction employing the pantograph suspension arrangement, in an arrangement in which carriers for supporting the panels are engaged directly with the panels, directly with a fastening plate on the top edge of the panels, or directly with single links interconnecting the panels whereby the joint is effective if the panels have a fixed axis of pivotal movement or whether the axis of relative pivotal movement is not positively fixed but nearly fixed by the sealed connection.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a folding panel door having a novel joint therein which is continuously sealed and provides a highly attractive appearance while at the same time providing a highly effective connection between the panels which forms an effective seal to block passageof air, light, and sound.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating the type of folding door employing a pantograph linkage;

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating the joint of the present invention incorporated into a folding door having a link connection between the panels forming a fixed pivotal axis;

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view of the present invention incorporated into the folding door having a fixed axis between the panels but without the pantograph linkage;

FIGURE 4 is a plan sectional view illustrating the relationship of the panels and the joints therebetween.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view illustrating one form of insert forming a connection between the panels;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of another form of the joint between adjacent panels;

FIGURE 7 is a detailed sectional View illustrating a slightly modified form of joint;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed sectional view of another form of joint;

FIGURE 9 is a detailed sectional view of still another form of joint; and

FIGURE 10 is a detailed sectional view of a very important form of joint.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the joint of the present invention incorporated into a folding panel door. The numeral 12 generally designates one side jamb while the numeral 14 generally designates the other side jamb and the numeral 16 generally designates the header or head jamb. The folding door comprises a plurality of vertically elongated panels 18 formed of wood or other suitable material which have substantially flat edges 20 and parallel front and rear surfaces 22 which may also be considered inner and outer surfaces which renders the panels relatively easy to manufacture. The joint 10 of the present invention is used to interconnect the edges of adjacent panels 18 together in a manner described hereinafter.

The panels 18 may be supported in any of several different manners. In FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a pantograph linkage including a plurality of crossed links 24 and 26 having a carrier support assembly 28 at the point of intersection thereof. The ends of the links are pivotally attached at points 30 and 32 with the hinge axis formed by the point 32 coinciding with the hinge axis of the panels 18. In other words, the links 24 are attached to the panels 18 and thus, the pivot point 32 forms a fixed axis of pivotal movement between the panels 18. In' this form of construction of a panel door, all of the panels 18 will move simultaneously during the movement of the panels between an open and closed position.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a simplified version of supporting mechanism in which links 34 are attached directly to the panels 18 with the links 34 being hingedly connected together by hinge pins 36. Attached to the central portion of the links 34 are carrier support assemblies 38 for engagement with the trackway. Here, the panels 18 pivot independently of each other but the axis of pivotal movement between the panels 18 is fixed and determined by the hinge pin 36. In FIGURE 2, there is shown another version of the invention in which the panels 18 are connected by links 39 engaged with the panels of the center thereof and generally forming one-half of a lazy tong assembly with the panels themselves forming the other half of the assembly. The panels and links 39 are supported directly by carrier support assemblies 40 secured directly to the upper edge of the panels 18 and links 39 at the central point thereof for direct engagement with a track. Here, the panels will move independently of each other and the axis of pivotal movement therebetween generally is substantially positively fixed. The links 39 in FEGURE 2 may be eliminated thus leaving the carrier assemblies 45 connected directly to the panels 18.

IGURES l and 3, the linlcs 24, 26, 34 and 39 may be secured in any suitable manner to the panels and the carrier assembly such as the carrier assembly 28 is supported from a suitable trackway supported from the head jamb 16 in any suitable manner for moving support of the panels as they move between an open and closed position. The particular details of the supporting mechanism for the panels and the particular details of the trackway and the like form no important part of the present invention but ,have been illustrated to show the different manners of effectively employ ng the joint of the present invention. I

The joint 19 includes an elongated "insert which may be considered a molding designated by numeral 44 which includes parallel inner and outer surface 46. The edges 48 of the molding 44 diverge slightly from each other and then are provided with an inwardly curved notch 56 as clearly illustrated in FIGURES 68. The notch 50 receives the end edge. 29 of a'panel 18 when the folding door is in closed position as illustrated in FIGURE 4. I When the door is in open position, the panels 18 are alongside of each other and generally have the edges thereof disposed adjacent or alongside of the surface 46 of the molding 44. This is the situation in all five variations of the invention as illustratedin detail in FIGURES 9.

Each edge of the panel 18 is provided. with a longitudinally continuous groove 52 having an enlargement 54 formed in the bottom thereof for receiving a connecting strip 56 of flexible plastic material such as vinyl or the like which is flexible and resilient due to the memory characteristics of the material. Each edge portion of the molding 44 is provided with a groove 58 communicating with the surface 46 adjacent its juncture with the recess 59. The inner end of the longitudinally continuous groove 58 is also provided With an enlargement'i) and each edge of the sealing strip 56 is provided with an enlargement 62 received in the enlargements 54 and 69 respectively. The sealing strips 56 may be assembled with the panels 18 and the moldings 44 by longitudinal sliding interlocking'engagement. Once the flexible strips 56 have been incorporated into the panels, then the panels are pivotallysecured together by the flexible strip 56 and also the flexible strip 56 forms a completely sealed joint between the panels 18. Inasmuch as the flexible strip 56 is resilient, the relationship between the panels 18 and the V moldings-4 4 will be retained and, as illustrated in FIG- URE 6 and also in FIGURE 4, the moldings 44 s0me- "what conceal the joint when unfolded and also, only a very minimum part of the flexible sealing strip 56 is observable from the-side of the door in which the grooves 53are placed in the moldings 44. a

FIGURE 7 illustrates a slightly modified form of joint generally designated by numeral 64in which the panels 66' are identical to the panels 13 and the molding68 is identical to the molding 44' except that the molding 68 is formed in two pieces with an arcuate groove or space 1 V 7l 3'formed between the' two components '72 and 74 of the molding 63. Disposed'in the arcuate space 70 is a continuous sealing" strip '76 having enlarged edges 78 received .in'the grooves 80. and the enlargements '82 on the inner edge thereofrespectively. The space 70 communicates with the edges of the molding 72 adjacent the corner juncture thereofwith-the surface thus even'further substan tially' concealing the sealing strip as it passes from the molding 72 to the panels 66.

[FIGURE 8 illustrates another modified form of the present invention generally designated by numeral in received in corresponding grooves in the sections 72' and 74.

In FIGURE 5, there is disclosed an insert generally designated by numeral, 88 which is of one-piecemolded construction from resilient vinyl material including an enlarged main body portion fl which may be either hollow or solid with projectingflanges 92 thereon having enlarged edges 94. The enlarged edges 94 are for purposes of reception within the grooves in adjacent panels 18. The shape of the main body portion u is somewhat equivalent to the insert molding 44 in that it has' diverging faces 96 on the edges thereof equivalent to the faces 59 which may also be termed recesses.

111 FIGURE 9, the insert is designated by numeral 93 which includes what. may be considered two main body portions 169 of generally triangular configuration including projections 1&2 with enlarged edges 104 received in the grooves in adjacent panels 18. The main body portions 1% are interconnected by a hinge area 196 with the remainder of the main body portions being separated by a line of division 1%. This insert is also constructed of a. vinyl plastic or the like and the hinge area 166 forms substantially a hinge point or axis. a

In the forms of the invention such as illustrated in FIGURES 5-8, the insert or main body portion for the molding actually'forms substantially a near fixed hinged point in that a very small area of flexible panel is left, free of the panels 18 or the main body portion of the connector thus leaving a very. small area to permit flexibility as far as movement in a lateral direction is concerned but still permitting adequate area for pivotal movement of the adjacent panels. 7

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 10 is generally designated by reference numeral 11% and in cludes a hollow central body portion 112 having a pair of projecting flexible wings or tabs 114 connected thereto having enlarged edges 116 received in corresponding grooves 118 in rigid panels 120. In this form'of' the invention, the edges of the panels 120 do not at all engage the side walls 122 of the hollow body. The body may be hollow or shallow but in both instances, the flexibility lies in the wings or tabs 116 and the butt edges of the panels 120 do not come into contact with the hollow body 112 at all. Of course, the edges of the body 112 maybe provided with flanges 124 which will or may overlie the 7 adjacent edges of panelslztl when the panels are extended 7 to their unfolded condition even if the unfolding is to occurs necting links at the top edges of the panels. These inserts all include generally an enlarged central rigidarea which, in itself, forms substantially f a hinge point for relative movement between the panels. f In all forms of the invention,'the essentialfeatures lie in the provision ofa continuous flexible resilient sealing strip extending between the panels and an interposed which all of the structure is the same as'in. FIGURE 7 except thata lateral rib 86 is employed for retaining the sectionsjZ and 74' of the molding 63"in assembled relation. In FIGURE 7, the portions ofthe molding 68 may be adhesively securedto the flexible sealing strip 7 6 wheremolding or insert of either one piece construction for providing a connection between the panels and providing a sealed joint betweenthe panels for eliminating passageiof air, light, dirt and noise. Further, the material of the 'moldings and panels may be variable 'and'the' connecting flexible members are substantially concealed and, 'if desired, may be colored compatible to the color of the.mold-' lugs and panels to be substantially indistinguishable there,

from. I

. The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the Further, 7 since "numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A folding door assembly comprising a plurality of elongated panels disposed in edge to edge relation, each side edge of each panel having a longitudinal groove therein, a molding extending between adjacent side edges of the panels, said molding being of one-piece construction and being continuous throughout the length thereof, said molding including a hollow central body member having four corners, projecting flexible wings projecting from two corners of said body member and extending into said grooves, said molding being constructed of resilient material, the corners of said body member remote from the Wings having projecting lips thereon, and the major portion of the body member being disposed outwardly of the space between adjacent edges of the panels with the side edges of the body member and lips conforming with the adjacent edges of the panels when the panels are extended to a closed position.

2. A folding door assembly comprising a plurality of elongated panels disposed in edge to edge relation, each side edge of each panel having a longitudinal groove therein, a molding extending between adjacent side edges of the panels, said molding being continuous throughout the length of the panels, said molding including a central body having a pair of corners disposed adjacent the side edges of adjacent panels, and a projecting flexible wing extending from each of said corners and extending into the grooves in the adjacent side edges of adjacent panels, said molding being unitarily constructed of resilient ma terial and formed with the wings normally diverging outwardly from said corners, the major portion of the body being disposed outwardly of the space between adjacent side edges of adjacent panels, said body having side edges diverging from said corners and spaced from the side edges of adjacent panels when the panels are disposed in extended unfolded condition, each of said wings having enlarged edges received in the grooves thereby locking the wings to the panels, said body having a hollow center and provided with laterally projecting lips remote from the wings for overlying adjacent edges of adjacent panels in spaced relation thereto when the panels are disposed in extended unfolded condition.

3. A folding door assembly comprising a plurality of elongated panels disposed in edge to edge relation, each side edge of each panel having a longitudinal groove therein, a molding extending between adjacent side edges of the panels, said molding being constructed of resilient material and including a central portion, wings divergingly projecting from each edge of said central portion from the same side of and at substantially equal angles to the plane of said central portion, said wings extending into the grooves in the adjacent side edges of adjacent panels, and reinforcing means comprising a channel-shaped member extending the length of the central portion and including a pair of converging legs each integral with the central portion near each edge thereof and on the side opposite the projecting wings whereby the central portion is less resilient than the wings, said reinforcing means tending to maintain the angular relationship between adja cent elongated panels uniform throughout the plurality of said panels upon operation of the folding door assembly.

4. A folding door assembly comprising a plurality of elongated panels disposed in edge to edge relation, each side edge of each panel having a longitudinal groove therein, a molding extending between adjacent side edges of the panels, said molding being constructed of resilient material and including a central body having a pair of corners disposed adjacent the side edges of adjacent panels and a projecting flexible wing extending from each of said corners and into the grooves in the adjacent side edges of adjacent panels, said body being substantially rigid with respect to the flexible wings thereby tending to maintain the angular relationship between adjacent panels uniform throughout the plurality of said panels upon operation of the folding door assembly, said wings being sufliciently Wide to prevent contact between the central body and the adjacent side edges of adjacent panels during relative pivotal movement of the panels, said molding including a channel-shaped reinforcing member extending the length of the central body, each leg of said channel-shaped member being integral with the central body near each edge thereof whereby said central body is less resilient than the wings, said reinforcing member tending to maintain the angular relationship between adjacent elongated panels uniform throughout the plurality of said panels upon operation of the folding door assembly. 9

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,910 Dixon Dec. 25, 1951 2,585,645 Freitag Feb. 12, 1952 2,677,420 Kuyper May 4, 1954 2,834,410 Kuyper May 13, 1958 2,912,049 Kuyper Nov. 10, 1959 3,033,283 Iorgensen May 8, 1962 

1. A FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED PANELS DISPOSED IN EDGE TO EDGE RELATION, EACH SIDE EDGE OF EACH PANEL HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE THEREIN, A MOLDING EXTENDING BETWEEN ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF THE PANELS, SAID MOLDING BEING OF ONE-PIECE CONSTRUCTION AND BEING CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID MOLDING INCLUDING A HOLLOW CENTRAL BODY MEMBER HAVING FOUR CORNERS, PROJECTING FLEXIBLE WINGS PROJECTING FROM TWO CORNERS OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING INTO SAID GROOVES, SAID MOLDING BEING CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, THE CORNERS OF SAID BODY MEMBER REMOTE FROM THE WINGS HAVING PROJECTING LIPS THEREON, AND THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE BODY MEMBER BEING DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF THE SPACE BETWEEN ADJACENT EDGES OF THE PANELS WITH THE SIDE EDGES OF THE BODY MEMBER AND LIPS CONFORMING WITH THE ADJACENT EDGES OF THE PANELS WHEN THE PANELS ARE EXTENDED TO A CLOSED POSITION. 